LDS WHY

Preface
Introduction: Why Ask “Why”?
1. Why Should I Keep the Commandments?

• Why are there so many commandments and rules?
• Why do some people who break the commandments appear happy?
• Why are some commandments more important than others—or are they?

2. Why Should I Listen to and Follow the Prophet?

• Why is it so important to listen to general conference?
• Why do modern prophets sometimes teach things that are different from what past prophets taught?
• Why should I listen to prophets who are so much older than I am? They don’t know what it’s like to be a teenager today.

3. Why Does It Matter Who My Friends Are?

• Why is it OK to still be friends with people, even if they aren’t LDS?
• Why can a friend still be bad if they aren’t pressuring me to break the commandments?
• Why is it wrong for me to “cover” for my friends and not tell on them? Isn’t that what good friends do?

4. Why Should I Keep the Word of Wisdom?

• Why shouldn’t I just “try” alcohol, just to see what it tastes like?
• Why shouldn’t I take something into my body, even if science says it’s good for me?
• Why should I avoid drinking highly caffeinated soft drinks or “energy” drinks?

5. Why Shouldn’t I Pierce or Tattoo My Body?

• Why is having two pairs of earrings such a big deal? Or is it?
• Why is it wrong to get a religious tattoo, like a scripture reference or “CTR”?
• Why shouldn’t I get a tattoo or piercing if it is acceptable in my culture?

6. Why Should I Dress Modestly?

• Why can’t I wear a strapless prom dress one night of the year?
• Why shouldn’t I let skin show between my shirt and my pants?
• Why is it a big deal if boys “sag” their pants or have long hair?

7. Why Should I Be Sexually Pure?

• Why is it going too far to kiss someone passionately?
• Why are NCMOs bad?
• Why is it wrong to be physically intimate with someone if I love them?

8. Why Shouldn’t I Date Until I’m 16?

• Why is 16 the magical age? Is it all that different than 15?
• Why isn’t it a good idea to hang out at the house of someone of the opposite gender that I really “like”?
• Why is it still considered a date if a group of my friends goes to the park to meet a group of the opposite gender that some of us like?

9. Why Shouldn’t I Steady Date in High School?

• Why date other people if I only like one person?
• Why is it wrong to steady date someone if we both have high standards?
• Why is it OK to steady date after my mission, but not before? contents

10. Why Should I Get Married in the Temple?

• Why is it wrong to marry a non-member if I love them?
• Why shouldn’t I marry someone and then hope they will later convert to the Church?
• Why is the Church opposed to homosexual marriage?

11. Why Should I Want to Have Children When I’m Married?

• Why should I want to bring innocent children into such a wicked world?
• Why is it more influential to have children than a high-power career?
• Why do members of the Church tend to have bigger families than other people?

12. Why Can’t I Watch Whatever I Want?

• Why can’t I watch a movie if it only has one or two “bad” parts?
• Why is it wrong to watch a movie that glorifies violence or immorality if it is historically accurate?
• Why shouldn’t I play video games where I fight and kill people if I know it’s just pretend?

13. Why Shouldn’t I View Pornography?

• Why are romance novels sometimes considered pornography?
• Why is pornography a big deal if it doesn’t hurt anybody?
• Why should I see my bishop to repent for pornography?

14. Why Does the Music I Listen to Matter?

• Why can’t I listen to a song that only has a couple of swear words if I hear worse than that every day at school?
• Why does it matter how loud my music is?
• Why should I listen to or sing the Church hymns?

15. Why Are There Guidelines for Dancing?

• Why is freak dancing bad?
• Why should I go to Church dances?
• Why should I still go to dances if I don’t like dancing?

16. Why Should I Use Clean Language?

• Why shouldn’t I gossip or talk behind people’s backs?
• Why shouldn’t I make fun of people, even if I’m joking?
• Why should I watch my tongue, even when playing sports?

17. Why Should I Be Honest?

• Why shouldn’t I illegally download music, movies, or software?
• Why shouldn’t I copy my friend’s homework assignment if I already know the material?
• Why is it wrong if I purposely leave out part of the truth, even though I’m not “lying”?

18. Why Should I Keep the Sabbath Day Holy?

• Why shouldn’t I text message in sacrament meeting?
• Why shouldn’t I wear flip-flops to Church?
• Why shouldn’t I skip Sunday School?

19. Why Should I Fast?

• Why does what time Church starts have little to do with how long I fast?
• Why should I still pay fast offerings if my parents already do?
• Why will my fast be better if I have something I’m fasting for?

20. Why Should I Pray Always?

• Why does it seem like sometimes I don’t get an answer to my prayers?
• Why should I take off my hat and use words like “thee” and “thy” when I pray?
• Why should I pray by myself if I pray with my family every day?

21. Why Should I Study My Scriptures Daily?

• Why it is so important that I study my scriptures every day?
• Why are the scriptures so hard to understand sometimes?
• Why is it more important to study the scriptures for a set amount of time instead of a set amount of pages?

22. Why Should I Pay Tithing?

• Why does God need me to pay tithing if he can just create gold or money?
• Why do some people who pay tithing still not have a lot of money?
• Why can’t I enter the temple if I don’t pay tithing?

23. Why Should I Write in a Journal?

• Why shouldn’t I just write down the “good” stuff in my journal?
• Why should I take notes during Church meetings and scripture study?
• Why can’t I have my blog, scrapbook, or video recordings count as my journal?

24. Why Should I Be Grateful?

• Why should we thank God for blessings before asking for more blessings?
• Why should I be grateful if there is so much I don’t have?
• Why is saying “Thank you” a sign of an educated person?

25. Why Should I Honor My Parents?

• Why shouldn’t I talk back to my parents?
• Why is honoring my parents more than simply obeying them?
• Why should I listen to my parents even if I think they are wrong?

26. Why Is It So Important I Gain an Education?

• Why should I go to college if I can make a lot of money without it?
• Why should I still get a degree if I’ll never work in that field?
• Why should I further my education if I am going to be a stay-at-home mother?

27. Why Should I Attend Seminary and Institute?

• Why is seminary more important than any other school class?
• Why is it so important that I am enrolled in all four years of seminary?
• Why is institute just as important as seminary?

28. Why Should I Serve a Mission?

• Why do we need a raised bar for missionary standards?
• Why can’t I just serve a mission when I am older with my spouse instead of when I am 19?
• Why do boys have to serve a mission and girls don’t?

29. Why Should I Repent Now and Not Later?

• Why should I talk to my bishop about certain sins?
• Why do I need the Savior’s atonement to truly repent? Isn’t being “sorry” the same thing?
• Why is repentance a positive commandment and not a negative one?

Conclusion: Sometimes We Do Not Need to Understand Why